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By Toni Hedstrom, P.A., Owner
REALTOR®
Your North Hillsborough, South Pasco County Real Estate Specialist
A‘Nip and Tuck’ usually refers to plastic surgery to remove signs of aging on our bodies – but we believe it applies to your home! Your home’s body has an exterior and interior structure that needs constant attention – just like our bodies do!
As the cold air slowly gives way to warm, sunny rays, it signals that spring is around the corner — the perfect time to give your home its ‘Annual Physical’ to see if the winter months have taken a toll.
The Home’s Exterior
The first things to look out for are wear and tear on your home’s exterior. Tampa can get wet; wood trim will become rotted over time. Rot is prevalent around exterior door frames and fascia boards. It is not an if but when. Stay ahead of the game and address your rotted wood.
Many Florida homes have stucco exteriors. It’s essential to walk around your house – at least once per year – checking for any cracks in the stucco. There are products that can be purchased at your local hardware store to seal up these cracks. There are also different types of exterior paints for stucco homes. If you go cheap on the paint, the expected life of your paint job can be short. It’s a good investment to paint your house with high-quality paint to protect the stucco and avoid that powdery residue you will see from faded and aged paint.
Gutters tend to get filled with falling leaves over winter. It’s important to keep the gutters free and clear of debris if you want them to function. Doing this once per year is not enough!
Your home needs a bath occasionally. Spring is a great time to break out the power washer and give the whole house (including the roof) a good washing. Clean your home from top to bottom and finish off with a good power wash on your walkways and driveways. Don’t forget the windows!
While you are up on the roof, take a quick look at your shingles. Are any of them lifting? Torn away? Look at your vents – have the squirrels been treating your roof like a dinner buffet? Fix these things now before Hurricane Season arrives.
Your windows are kept secure by caulking – make sure the caulking is healthy and not dried up and cracking – you will appreciate it when you get your utility bills.
After Day Light Savings Time – It’s a good time to replace your exterior light bulbs.
The Yard
There are so many things to do in the yard this time of year. Clear away the fallen leaves, add mulch to your flowerbeds, plant pretty flowers, reseed the lawn and TRIM those TREES! You want to make sure you don’t have tree limbs hanging over your house. You also want to make sure your trees are healthy and strong enough to take on any storm.
When you need a Specialist
We all have a primary care physician who will generally refer us to a specialist for things. This is the same as your home. Here are some home care services you might want a specialist for:
• Dryer Duct Cleaning — Hire someone to make sure your dryer ducts are clean to avoid a potential fire hazard.
• Septic Pumping — Depending on the size of your household – this is something that should be done every three years according to industry standards.
• Heating and Cooling Maintenance — It isn’t a bad idea to hire a company that will come to your home a couple times a year to clean and inspect your entire HVAC system. Switching from heat to air conditioning is a good time to have the system checked out.
• Chimney Cleaning — We don’t get to use our fireplaces much in Florida. However, after the cold air has passed, it’s a good time tohave your chimney cleaned and inspected. This way, it will be ready when you need it next winter.
• Water Softener — Some companies can come and service your system to keep it fully functioning and to extend its life. Worth it!
• Sprinkler System — Heads are bound to break. An inspection of your sprinkler system heads and confirmation they are spraying where they should be.
• Pool Maintenance — Draining the pool and giving it a good scrubbing is a great idea! This will help to increase the life of your pool surface!
• Re-Staining Decks and Fences — If you have wood fencing or decking, it is important to have these items resealed often. Wood doesn’t have a long life in Florida when it is not maintained.
A few of our ‘Easy’ Favorites
There are a lot of things one can do without hiring someone. Here are a few easy chores to keep in mind:
• Cleaning Doors – Clean your doors with the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser – you will be amazed!
• Garbage Disposal – Use real lemons and ice!
• Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms – Test! Keep batteries on hand, so there is never a moment you go without your alarms.
• Have pets? Then it is a must to inspect your refrigerators intake vent. I bet it’s covered with pet hair. This could damage the unit’s motor which is very expensive to repair or replace.
• Auto Ship Air Filters – Want a good way to be reminded to change your HVAC filters? Have them auto-shipped to you via Amazon!
Have any other home questions? Don’t hesitate to contact Hedstrom & Stamm at Home Solutions Real Estate Team at (813) 549 – 0870 or email us at admin@tampahome360.com.
Hedstrom & Stamm at Home Solutions Real Estate Team
813-549-0870
www.tampahome360.com